Chris Daskalakis on Entrepreneurship: Building a Skilled Trades Business
Building a successful skilled trades business takes more than ambition. It requires recognizing opportunities, developing technical expertise, understanding customer needs, and learning how to operate a company.
For Christos “Chris” Daskalakis, Founder and CEO of MFS Trade School in Sanford, Florida, those lessons came through decades of experience in construction, commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning, fire safety, and entrepreneurship.
His journey from a second-generation contractor in New Jersey to the founder of a specialized trade school illustrates how practical education and business knowledge can work together.
Today, through MFS Trade School, Chris helps aspiring entrepreneurs and existing cleaning business owners develop the skills needed to explore opportunities in the commercial kitchen cleaning industry.
How Chris Daskalakis Discovered His First Major Business Opportunity
Approximately 30 years ago, Chris was working as a construction contractor in New Jersey.
While his crew was completing roadwork near the Passaic Board of Education, he noticed a public contract opportunity involving kitchen exhaust hood cleaning, fire suppression, and fire extinguisher services for more than 80 schools.
The opportunity caught his attention because it involved year-round service work.
Chris submitted a bid, even though two other companies offered lower prices.
Drawing on his knowledge of public contracting procedures, he challenged the lower bids. Both were rejected, and he was awarded the contract.
But winning the contract presented an unexpected challenge.
He had no previous experience performing the specialized services involved.
Instead of treating that knowledge gap as a reason to abandon the opportunity, Chris sought practical training from an experienced company in upstate New York.
For three weeks, he accompanied kitchen exhaust cleaning crews at night and fire protection technicians during the day.
That experience became the foundation of his career in the commercial kitchen cleaning industry.
Entrepreneurship Lesson #1: Recognize Opportunities, Then Develop the Skills
Chris Daskalakis's experience highlights an important principle of entrepreneurship: identifying an opportunity is only the beginning.
A promising market does not automatically translate into a successful business.
Entrepreneurs must understand the technical requirements, equipment, safety considerations, and operational responsibilities associated with the services they plan to offer.
For individuals exploring skilled trades business opportunities, this means researching the industry and obtaining appropriate training before independently performing specialized work.
Chris's experience also demonstrates why hands-on education can be valuable.
Practical instruction helps aspiring contractors connect technical concepts with the realities of working in the field.
Entrepreneurship Lesson #2: Choose a Specialized Service With Recurring Demand
After developing his career in commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning and fire safety, Chris began thinking about the characteristics of a sustainable service business.
He was particularly interested in specialized work connected to ongoing operational and safety requirements.
Commercial kitchens require continued attention to exhaust system grease accumulation and fire safety.
This creates opportunities for contractors providing professional cleaning services.
However, recurring service needs do not guarantee revenue or business success.
Entrepreneurs must still evaluate local demand, competition, customer acquisition costs, and their ability to deliver quality work.
For Chris, the commercial kitchen cleaning industry offered an opportunity to combine specialized technical skills with business ownership.
Entrepreneurship Lesson #3: Learn the Trade and the Business
One of the central principles behind MFS Trade School is that technical knowledge and business knowledge serve different but complementary purposes.
Learning how to clean a commercial kitchen exhaust system does not automatically teach someone how to operate a profitable company.
Aspiring business owners also need to understand:
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Job estimating and service pricing
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Equipment and operating costs
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Marketing and customer acquisition
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Customer communication
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Scheduling and service operations
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Documentation and recordkeeping
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Long-term customer relationships
MFS Trade School combines technical training with business education to help students understand these responsibilities.
Its Kitchen Exhaust Hood Cleaning Certification Program is designed for individuals who want to develop specialized cleaning skills while exploring opportunities for entrepreneurship.
Explore MFS Trade School's Kitchen Exhaust Hood Cleaning Certification Program
Entrepreneurship Lesson #4: Understand Safety and Professional Standards
Chris's professional development extended beyond learning cleaning techniques.
As his business grew, he pursued additional fire safety education and became a private fire inspector.
That experience strengthened his understanding of the safety responsibilities associated with commercial kitchen exhaust systems.
For hood cleaning contractors, relevant professional knowledge includes:
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Commercial exhaust system components
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Grease accumulation and fire hazards
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Safe cleaning procedures
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Equipment operation
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Service documentation
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Applicable fire safety requirements
NFPA 96 is an important standard addressing ventilation control and fire protection for commercial cooking operations.
Understanding relevant provisions can help contractors recognize their responsibilities, although NFPA 96 is not an individual certification.
Entrepreneurs must also verify local licensing, insurance, and qualification requirements before offering services.
Entrepreneurship Lesson #5: Build a Business Around Clear Operating Processes
A specialized service business needs repeatable procedures.
For commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning contractors, that includes establishing clear processes for customer inquiries, estimates, job preparation, service delivery, documentation, and invoicing.
Business owners should understand the difference between revenue and profit.
Equipment, labor, chemicals, transportation, insurance, marketing, and other expenses all affect profitability.
Before expanding, entrepreneurs should evaluate their operating costs and establish pricing that reflects the work involved.
A repeatable operating process can also help business owners maintain consistency as their customer base grows.
Why Chris Daskalakis Founded MFS Trade School
After relocating to Florida, Chris began considering how to use his experience to help others enter the commercial kitchen cleaning industry.
Approximately 12 years ago, he founded MFS Trade School in Sanford, Florida.
His vision was to create an educational organization that connected specialized technical instruction with entrepreneurship.
The school initially offered training related to kitchen exhaust cleaning, fire suppression, and fire extinguisher services.
Over time, its educational offerings expanded.
According to Chris, MFS Trade School now offers seven courses related to the restaurant cleaning industry and has served more than 2,000 students across the United States and Canada.
The school's educational approach emphasizes hands-on instruction, technical knowledge, business fundamentals, and mentoring.
For Chris, the most rewarding part of the work is watching students develop confidence, attract customers, and build businesses of their own.
What Aspiring Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Chris Daskalakis
Chris's career offers several practical lessons for individuals considering business ownership.
Start by identifying a real customer need. Research the market before investing heavily in equipment or advertising.
Develop the necessary technical skills. Specialized services require appropriate training and an understanding of professional responsibilities.
Understand the economics of the business. Evaluate startup expenses, operating costs, pricing, and customer acquisition.
Create repeatable processes. Clear procedures help contractors manage work consistently.
Continue learning. Technical knowledge, safety practices, and business skills require ongoing attention.
These principles apply beyond commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning to many specialized service businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Chris Daskalakis?
Christos “Chris” Daskalakis is the Founder and CEO of MFS Trade School in Sanford, Florida. His professional background includes construction contracting, commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning, fire safety, and trade education.
How did Chris Daskalakis become an entrepreneur?
Chris began as a second-generation construction contractor in New Jersey. He entered the commercial kitchen cleaning industry after securing a public service contract and obtaining hands-on training from experienced technicians.
What business did Chris Daskalakis start?
Chris established MFS Trade School, a training and certification organization focused on specialized commercial kitchen cleaning services and entrepreneurship.
Does MFS Trade School teach business skills?
Yes. MFS Trade School combines technical instruction with business education covering areas such as estimating, pricing, marketing, customer acquisition, and business development.
Can beginners start a commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning business?
Beginners can pursue professional training and develop the necessary technical skills. Starting a business also requires appropriate equipment, insurance, regulatory compliance, financial planning, and customer acquisition.
Why are skilled trades attractive to entrepreneurs?
Specialized trades can offer opportunities to build service businesses around practical skills and ongoing customer needs. Results depend on market conditions, operating costs, competition, and execution.
Build Your Skilled Trades Business With MFS Trade School
Chris Daskalakis's entrepreneurial journey began with an unexpected opportunity and a willingness to learn a specialized trade.
Today, MFS Trade School helps aspiring entrepreneurs and existing service-business owners develop technical knowledge and business skills for the commercial kitchen cleaning industry.
If you're interested in building a business around specialized cleaning services, professional training can be an important first step.
Explore MFS Trade School's Kitchen Exhaust Hood Cleaning Certification Program
Learn the trade. Understand the business. Build something of your own.
